Flashbacks Are A
by Project MJOLNIR
Summary: It's simple things that could bring back memories good/bad, but Baird didn't expect this. A song long forgotten, and feelings are stirred up.


Flashbacks Are A….

*note*

OK soooo sorry guys but you might need some tissues for this one. Dunno why I have been writing such sad stories, but I guess I really like a good story that can jerk my emotions like that. This story is dedicated to my little sister: Babylon. Since you're such a Baird fan. Sorry sis about another sad one, but it has a cute ending ;-)

It had been the worst day of his life. Not only had he been shot at, but a Butcher had smacked him right across the face with his massive hand, giving Baird quite the shiner, and now Sam would not shut up about it all the way back to HQ.

On top of all that, it drizzled all the way back. Not rain, no he could handle that. It was the annoying drizzle that came down at a slant and felt like a thousand pin pricks on the face. _**AND IT WAS FUCKING COLD!**_

Baird muttered something under his breath and as soon as they passed the security gate, her parted with Delta Squad. He wanted to see how bad the bruise was that Sam had to continue to pester him about it.

In the reflection of a mirror from one of the military vehicles, Baird was finally able to take a good look at the bruise. A huge blackening sore spot circled his left eye, and already it was swollen shut. His forehead was smeared with blood and his entire face covered in dirt.

"Shit."

All he wanted right now was a hot shower, a hot meal and to just get away from everybody until the bruise is gone. Sam wouldn't be the only one to give him crap about it.

Quickly he crossed the area toward the showers, hoping to avoid anybody that he knew. To his luck, there weren't too many Gears out. Normally the civilians weren't out too much either.

He crossed the street quickly, keeping his head down.

A cool wind blew, freezing him to the bone and Baird wrapped his arms around himself. A warm jacket would be nice as well…

As always the streets of what was left of Sera looked the same. Filthy, and littered with both trash and burnt out cars. The buildings were just as filthy, especially since there was nobody to take care of them. They had blown out windows and trash and dirt filled up the once beautiful hallways. Seeing this day in and day out could really take a hit on team moral.

Things had gone from worse, in other words shit had hit the fan and splattered EVERYWHERE! That in its own had put Baird in a really bad mood.

As he walked across the wet street, Baird swore he could hear a female voice and it sounded like she was singing. Curiosity got the best of him and he went to find out who it was.

'Curiosity killed the cat.' He thought.

He followed the voice into the CIC building and onto the second floor. Moving slowly, for some odd reason, he didn't want the person to know that he was there and stop.

Yeah, Baird is the biggest asshole and everybody knew it, but he would rather keep it that way. It was better that nobody knew that he had feelings or even cared about anybody else.

He had slowly walked up the stairs to the second floor, pausing before going through the doors. Stepping very carefully, Baird found himself in a long empty hallway.

CIC was now an old run down hospital, the actual control room was held on the fourth floor and any medical staff and injured Gears were above that to give the Gears enough time in case the Locusts were to attack the building.

Baird looked left, then right and then left once more. After a moment, he decided that the singing was coming from the left. He walked down the filthy hallway, littered with dirt, leaves and broken tile. At the end of the hall in the room to the right, he had finally found the owner of the beautiful voice.

Anya Stroud sat at a table, unwrapping a simple lunch, a ham sandwich with a bottle of water. Being in CIC all day, every day, she didn't need as many calories as an active Gear.

She had the most beautiful voice, and the song sounded like something he had heard before, and then it hit him hard, like slamming into a brick wall. It was the same song that his mother use to sing to him as a lullaby. It was the memories that were good; which he didn't have too many of those when it came to his parents.

*Flash Back*

A beautiful young woman with baby blue eyes and blonde hair held her newborn baby as she rocked him back and forth and sang to him a lullaby. Her first and only child, a son slept peacefully in her arms.

She had become a mother at such a young age, but after all that pain of labor and delivery, it had been well worth it.

Damon Baird looked just like his mother. He had the same bright blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes.

She stared down at her beautiful baby in awe that she had created such a blessing and it was all hers. Barely an adult, she had not been to any "Baird Gatherings" just yet. She did not know of the addicting social gatherings that the Baird family held. At that moment, Damon was her life.

*two years later*

A terrible storm had struck late at night, waking the now two year old Damon. The strong gusts of wind whipped the breaches of the trees outside his window around and flashes of light casted long shadows on the wall, which scared poor Damon. It had been the booming of the thunder that had woke him in the first place.

Instantly awake, Damon whimpered. There was another loud clack of thunder which caused him to jump and burry his face in the pillow.

"Mama!"

The pillow muffled his soft cry for his mother, but it was just loud enough for her to hear and come to his rescue.

"Damon?"

She could barely make out his shaking little form in the darkness, but the moment he had heard her voice, he was standing in his crib and reaching out for her.

She smiled gently. "It's alright now." She said gently. "Mama's here now."

She took him in her arms and pulled him against her chest. He knew right then and there that he was safe now. Taking a seat in a small rocking chair in the corner of the room, she began to sing softly. It was a song her mother once sang to her when she was a baby.

Thunder made him jump and tremble, but not for long. As she continued to sing with her warm arms wrapped around him, he felt his eye lids become heavy and by the end of the song, he had fallen asleep. He didn't wake until morning, after the storm had passed.

Damon showed at an early age great intelligence, but his parents had grown distant pretty early in his life, going to events and eventually they didn't have much time for him, but hearing that lullaby now and again always brought back fond memories of her.

*end of flashback*

Anya's hand on his shoulder caused him to tense. He almost opened his mouth for his normal rude remark and realized that it was only Anya standing in front of him and looking really worried. Nobody could be mean to Anya.

"Baird, are you alright?"

"Fine.." he replied. He wasn't use to kindness from others. Or having anybody worry about him.

"What are you doing here? Is everything okay? What happened to your face?"

"Yeah…"Baird took a few steps back. "I gotta go…"

Anya stared after him confused. What the hell had just happened? And what the hell bothered Damon Baird so much for him to act like that?

Already half way across the base, tears threatened to make their way to his eyes and roll down his cheeks, but he fought to keep them at bay. He had to hurry to get somewhere where nobody would be able to see him like this and realize that Damon Baird really does have feelings and he really does care, no matter how hard he tries to act like an asshole.

Being so distracted, Baird ran right into Cole. The once famous thrashball star was one huge solid mass, so when Baird slammed right into him, it hurt… It sent Baird hard on his ass.

"Shit!" 

"Damon, are you okay?"

Baird looked up to find his long-time friend, his only friend, looking down at him worriedly.

"Yeah, sorry Cole."

Cole offered a hand to Baird and easily hefted him to his feet.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Where's the fire?"

"Nothing.."

Cole didn't look as if he believed his friend, but didn't press the matter. As Baird began to walk, he easily walked beside him. Baird didn't seem to mind.

"Hey Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"If you could go back in time, would you change anything?"

"Yeah." Cole paused, as if debating on how to say it. "I would spend more time with my mama…"

He had a feeling that's what he would say.

"Cole? 

""Yeah?"

Baird wasn't sure if he should tell Cole about what had happened today, because if he did, he wouldn't be able to stop and that alone could open the floodgates wide open. But he did, and it did.

Just as he thought, once he started to tell Cole about what had happened today and of the memories that resurfaced because of it, the tears began to fall, but he had to finish the story. Now he stood there before his best friend baring his soul and the deep gashes that not only that memory had left, but many others.

Cole couldn't help it. Grabbing Baird by the shoulders, he pulled the blonde closer and wrapped his arms around him in a big bear hug. Even without armor, it was like hitting something hard.

That was it! That one act of kindness caused Baird to really loose it. His shoulders shook as he began sobbing into his best friend. He no longer cared if anybody saw him.

Cole suddenly felt even more protective of Baird. His dark eyes scanned the area to find it still empty.

'Good.' He thought.

He hate to pull away now, but they couldn't stay here too long. Somebody was bound to come by sooner or later.

Keeping a hand on Baird's shoulder, he took a step and felt Baird tense up.

"Let's get out of the street."

Cole was right. He really didn't want anybody to see him like this. He would never hear the end of it.

They went to an empty building that was no longer in use and went up the second floor. Like every other building, the windows had been blown out and each floor was filthy.

The once really nice office building was in ruins, but still had tables and chairs. Being inside the fence, the stranded was unable to strip it of anything and everything useful.

They stayed there all day, mostly in silence as Baird had finally been able to grieve for the loss of his mother. Everybody had lost somebody, but for Baird, he really wasn't the sharing type.

By sunset, Baird was finally beginning to feel like himself again.

"Thank you, Cole."

"Anytime."

"Dinner?"

Cole grinned. "Dinner sounds great!"

They returned to the street and crossed the base to the mess hall. Baird's face held no sign of crying, no red puffy face, nor was his eyes red. Once again he had full control of his emotions and his face was set back into that constant sneer.

Only one time did his emotions seem to take over and only one person saw it: His best and only friend Cole. Cole would never judge him.

Could would never betray him.

With everything in check, they made their way into the crowded mess hall.

END

*note*

Ta-dah! Tee-hee! Hope you all liked it. Let me know in the reviews what you think please!

EM ^~


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